Nobody Said It Was Easy, It's Such A Shame For Us To Part
Skye wakes to the sound of her phone vibrating against the night stand. She leans away from the sheets as the screen lights up, it's an email. Ward has given her the green light, he's set up a trap for Whitehall. All she needs to do is get Shield to the location and take him in. Before something goes wrong. Skye freezes up at this thought, pauses halfway as the blankets fall around her. What is she worried about? That something will happen to Ward?
That if Shield isn't quick enough Hydra could hurt him for capturing Whitehall? Why is that even crossing her mind? It's stupid. She hates him, he deserves to suffer for everything he's done. She should take her time to tell Coulson where Whitehall is, she shouldn't rush around the room to change and get ready for the mission. Ward means nothing to her anymore. Skye does none of these things. Instead she runs across the room and slides into the first shirt and pants she sees. Grabs a gun and an ICER hurridly without a second thought.
Coulson doesn't even blink as she tells him about Whitehall, that she has another possible base he's at. Skye wonder if one day he or May will get curious about who her very reliable source is and start asking questions. Would she tell them the truth? No. She'd lie, and she hates herself a little more for it. Instead of sending agent after agent with Skye, Coulson just sends Bobbi and Trip, no need to waste a large force if this turns out to be a bust. It won't. Grant wouldn't let her down, not anymore, not ever again. That is the only thing she trusts with him.
''Who would do this?'' Trip asks aloud when they make it into the Hydra base to find Daniel Whitehall knocked out and tied to his desk chair. Skye discreetly looks around the room for Ward, in case he decided to linger. She finds no trace. Even if he was here and didn't want anyone to know, she'd have no chance in spotting him. ''Guys we have a bigger problem''. Bobbi says and the two agents follow her gaze to a note set on the top of Whitehall's computer.
Skye recognizes the hand writing with wide eyes. Ward. In his perfect neat and straight letters.
For Skye.
Why would Ward out himself like this? No one has any doubts about who hand delievered them the Director of Hydra, they just aren't saying anything out loud for her sake. They think that even the mention of Ward will break her into tiny little pieces, that he damaged her beyond repair. No matter how many gruesome hours she puts into training, no matter how cold and distant she makes herself out to be, everyone still knows that what happened with Grant changed her. Coulson has gone silent in their comms.
Trip and Bobbi are staring at her like she's supposed to have some horrible reaction to this news. ''It was Ward''. She says, no emotion in her voice. May would be proud. Skye calmly asks Coulson for orders, in the end they take Whitehall back to the Playground and wait for him to awaken so Coulson can interrogate him. The second Skye has a moment to herself May finds her, the Calvary's expression giving nothing away as she approaches Skye in the kitchen.
''You want to talk about it?'' When Skye looks back on all of this later in her life, this is the moment she would pin point when it all started to shift. To fall. In this moment Skye is an avalanche, waiting just waiting for the right amount of pressure to crack. Because right here and now is where she starts lying. Lying to protect herself and Ward. Everything that happens from here on out swam into motion as soon as May asked her the question.
Skye looks down at her coffee mug and says, ''there's nothing to talk about''. ''Don't do that, don't bottle all of it up Skye''. She could laugh at her new SO's words, isn't that what May has been teaching her for a year? Lock up all your emotions, don't let them become a weapon for the enemy. Don't let anyone see your weaknesses. Dimly Skye wonders if these training methods were similiar to the ones Garrett used for Ward.
She quickly dismisses the thought because she doesn't want to even shake hands with the subject of John Garrett. He is one of the main reasons her and Grant are no longer together. ''Ward captured Whitehall for us May, there's nothing more to it than that''. ''He didn't do it for Shield, he did it for you Skye''. ''I don't believe that, I think he's just trying to show redemption, to prove in some sick way that he's still one of us, like he did with Bakshi''.
''Maybe, but it's still personal Skye. Ward is trying to get your attention''. ''I don't care, I want nothing to do with him, Coulson should have killed that son of a bitch when he had the chance''. The sentence burns her throat on the way up, May believes her. It's a lie lie lie. ''We'll get him Skye, after we're through with Whitehall Coulson is planning to send out a hunting party for Ward''. Skye doesn't understand why this makes her uneasy. Why it chills her to the bone.
May is watching her face very very carefully, looking for a spark. She finds none. The Calvary remembers all to well Skye's melt down when Phil released Ward into his brother's care. No one at the Playground needs a repeat of that. But much to May's relief Skye's expression remains blank and impasssive. ''I think that's for the best. I want to be there when it happens''. May nods, ''I'll speak to Coulson about it''. Skye wonders how in the hell May couldn't tell that since the moment she walked into the room, Skye hasn't breathed one word of the truth.
Trip and Mack are in the shell of the Bus when Skye walks in, they smile at her as she approaches the table full of the markings Garrett was working on before he died. The same ones Coulson has been drawing, the same ones she's been seeing in her dreams. But he doesn't know that. ''Any luck with the research to figure out what the hell this stuff is?'' Trip asks her. ''Not a clue. Maybe these markings and symbols are just the signs of a man going absolutely insane''. ''Maybe, but maybe not''. Mack winks at her before leaving her and Trip alone.
Skye adjusts herself as she sits on the table, she does not think about all the times Grant had pressed her up against the surface of it and kissed her endlessly. Like he could for the rest of his life. God. No matter how hard she tries she just can't wash herself free of him. Skye closes her eyes briefly and focuses on these strange markings, sets her mind on something else besides the feel of Ward's hands on her. You'd think after a year it'd get easier. It hasn't.
He has tainted her, ruined her perhaps. Maye that was his goal all along. To get inside, to settle into her chest so securely and tight. So that when he left, abandoned her heart she wouldn't know what to do with herself. She'd become someone else entirely, someone who hated him and hated herself too. Trip brings her out of the dark thoughts with a wide smile and a cold beer in his hand. He offers it to her and he takes a seat next to her.
''Coulson is questioning Whitehall now, thought you might want to know''. ''Thanks''. ''You know that note is going to fall out of your pocket. Might want to put it somewhere safe''. Trip nods to the back of her jeans and Skye flushes as she scrambles for the piece of paper she snatched from Whitehall's computer when she was sure no one was looking. She stutters out something that she doesn't even comprehend as she stuffs the note full of Ward's hand writing.
''Not judging you girl, sometimes it's just hard to let go''. Skye takes a few minutes to respond. ''You understand? This is Ward we're talking about, Hydra sleeper agent, lied to me, tried to kill Fitz and Simmons''.''Look you and Ward were together for a long time, that's not something you can forget over night. Even if he is a back stabbing traitor you thought he loved you once, and I know how you felt about him. Time is the only thing that will heal you''.
Skye sips her beer in silence. Stares and stares at the blue glow of the markings in front of them. ''I hate him''. She turns to see Trip give her a smirk, ''no you don't. But keep telling yourself that''. He pats her shoulder and turns away, leaving her alone with that damn note she shouldn't have in the first place. For Skye. She huffs out of the room, the paper buried deep in her jeans, she just can't let that go either.
Much to her surprise Whitehall asks for her. Skye is sitting in Coulson's office when he comes in and tells her that Whitehall wishes to speak with her. ''What? Why?'' ''I have no idea. But see what he wants, if you can get something out of him''. ''Yes sir''. Skye remembers what Ward said about the Director of Hydra, how twisted he is. ''Has he said anything else?'' Skye asks Coulson as they walk towards the room he's being held in. ''No''. ''Coulson how does he even know who I am?'' Did Ward say something to Whitehall about her? Why would he?
''That's what we're trying to figure out''. May meets them by the door and nods at Skye. It's an unspoken decision that she will accompany Skye with Whitehall. ''What do you think he wants?'' Skye mutters at her SO who shrugs, ''whatever it is you can handle it''. With that she shoves the door open, May at her heels. Daniel Whitehall sits calm and collected at the table, hands folded on top of the cold steel. He looks Skye over twice, his face revealing nothing.
''You wanted to see me''. Both Skye and May remain standing, Whitehall doesn't even blink in the Calvary's direction. His cold eyes fixed on Skye, suddenly a look of wonder comes onto his face. He breathes out a sigh slowly, like he's just figured something out he's been stuck on for many years. ''Did you give youself the name Skye, or did the orphanage choose it for you?'' Skye refuses to ask how he knows her name or that she was an orphan. He doesn't have the power here.
''What do you want with me?'' Whitehall gives her a chilling smile. ''What I want to know is why John Garrett's lap dog attacked me, in my own base and took out all of my men? He's Hydra, he turned against us''. Skye's eyes remain tight and uninterested. ''I don't know, not really my concern at the moment''. ''Oh I think it is. You don't think Shield was the only one to find out about your romance do you? Hydra wasn't thrilled, perhaps that is the reason Ian Quinn shot you''.
''We're not here to talk about Grant Ward''. May growls from behind Skye, walking closer to Whitehall. ''Suppose you're right. His betrayal will be handled soon enough''. Skye takes a seat across from him and Whitehall looks her over from the tops of his glasses. ''You asked for me personally, why?'' ''You look just like her, do you know that? Oh she was so beautiful, on the outside and inside''. ''Who? Who are you talking about?'' Whitehall gives her a smile full of teeth that sends shivers down her spine. ''Your mother''.
Your mother.
Your mother.
Your mother.
Your mother.
The air falls out of her lungs. Her vision tunnels, hands shake and mouth goes dry. Skye is there but not, she hears the words out of his mouth but doesn't recognize them. Her mother. Whitehall knew her mother? Skye remembers Ward's words, how Whitehall likes to experiment on gifted individuals, did that happen to her? Skye is staring open mouthed at the Director of Hydra, who meets her confused eyes with a blank expression.
''I wonder if you are just as beautiful on the inside as she was?'' Whitehall asks aloud, a whisper that brushes against Skye's skin and she just. She can't. ''What did you do to her?'' Skye's voice doesn't sound like her's at all. It's heavy, shaking. Full of venom. Because all she wants to do right now is leap over this table and rip him apart, somehow some way Skye knows exactly what Daniel Whitehall did to her mother. Her hands won't stop shaking.
May and Coulson try to usher her out of the room but Skye won't budge. She gets her emotions in check, stores the information to reflect on later. Right now she wants answers, no matter how hard it is to hear them. ''I was looking for something she had''. She tries to get more out of him but that's all he gives her. ''And my father? Did you know him?'' She shouldn't be asking any of this, he could be lying. Once again May tries to get her to leave but Skye refuses.
Ward told her back in Vault D that he was still alive, she hasn't had the time to check that yet. ''I know that he loves you very much, that Shield took you from him. And ever since then he's been looking for you, for his baby girl that was stolen from him''. Skye can't hold it together anymore. She chokes and bolts out of the room. Coulson follows but she locks herself in her bunk. Shaking shaking shaking. Her father is alive. Her mother is dead. Hydra murdered her.
Her father has been looking for her. Skye's entire life she'd been searching for her parents, it's what led her to Shield's doorstep. There's a chance Whitehall could be lying, but why would he? What would be the point? She can't breathe. Her lungs feel like they are on fire, her eyes swim with warm unshed tears. Skye sits on her bed, draws her knees up to her chest. ''Skye? Skye can you open the door?'' It's Coulson, she doesn't respond. Stays in her room for six hours, in the same position without waivering. Feeling numb and cold.
Ward is half asleep when he hears a knock on the hotel door. Kara is gone for the night on a personal errand and she has a key, so he knows it can't be her. Kebo is fast asleep in the other room, he too has a key. Ward keeps the light off and grabs the gun on the night stand, walks quietly to the window to peek out the curtains. He keeps the weapon tucked into the back of his jeans and opens the door, the rain and thunder lighting up the small room.
She's standing there looking at the ground, already soaked to the bone. Arms wrapped around her body, shaking, shoulders slumped. ''Skye?'' He's surprised, never in a million years would she be at his door step, this has to be a dream. She meets his eyes, she's been crying. He steps out into the rain, ''are you alright? Are you hurt?'' Nothing. No response. She just stares at him. Ward doesn't see any blood on her clothes or the ground around her.
He takes a step closer to her, ''are you hurt?'' He asks again, this time she shakes her head. Over the thunder he can hear her begin to sob, loud and broken. Her face crumbles, looking as if she just lost the entire world at her feet. ''Skye what's wrong?'' He doesn't even have time to register what's happening before she's hurling herself into his arms, she's freezing. Buries her face into his bare chest that's warm despite the chill in the air.
Out of habit he supposes, his arms wrap around her. He's home. In this second that he prays will last forever, she is in his arms again. Right now he doesn't even care that she will regret this in five minutes or five hours. Time does not exist. Ward holds her as she breaks down against him, her small cold hands clutching his back like some sort of life line. Ward says nothing, just shelters her as best he can from the rain and rests his chin on her head. Not once does he ask if she wants to talk about it. They should go inside, he doesn't want her to get sick.
''Do you want to come in?'' He expects that she won't, that she will pull away from him at any given time and tell him that she shouldn't be here. That he is a monster and she doesn't even know why she's here. But taking him by surprise again she nods, not letting him go once they are in the hotel room with the door shut. Ward hands her a warm towel and a blanket, she sinks onto the floor, he joins her. The only sound is the clock on the wall and their breathing.
Ward has always been good at reading people, so when he studies her face he can see the grief there. It's the kind of crushing sadness he is all too familiar with. She still does not speak, just takes his hand that's resting on his knee and crushes it to her own. It takes her an hour to calm down, until her face dries. ''We found Whitehall''. Her voice cracks, it's hoarse and dry. Like she's been screaming for hours on end. ''Did he hurt you?'' Ward's voice has taken a sharp turn and Skye doesn't have the energy to snap at him for it.
''No''. Skye glances down at their entwined hands and wipes the wet hair away from her face. ''He said that he knew my mother. And that my father has been looking for me since Shield took me from him. Ward, tell me everything you know about my parents''. Her eyes fill with tears again, he longs to wipe them away but doesn't. She is in charge of whatever happens here, not him. ''I don't know much''. He confesses and Skye nods. ''I want to know, whatever it is''.
Ward knows that Skye will be gone by the time the sun rises, he has no clue what led her to his door in the first place. But he doesn't care. All that matters to him is that Skye isn't looking at him like she hates him. All he sees in her eyes is pure sorrow, and he'd do anything to make that go away. So he tells her everything he knows, holds her again as she cries. Her cold hair making him shiver but he doesn't move. ''I promise I'll find out more Skye, as much as I can''.
She falls asleep on his chest. Ward never breaks a promise to her, she can trust him on that.